This article will serve as an elementary course for the basics of simulation testing. There will be a discussion on vehicle durability test methods, an overview on the theory of simulation testing, a discussion on data acquisition and analysis, fixture design and drive file development.
For the purposes of this presentation we will be discussing simulation testing as it relates to automotive vehicle durability development with a special emphasis on Multi-Axis Simulation Table or “MAST” testing. However, these same principals can be applied to many types of transportation vehicles that are utilized in a wide range of industries. In today’s automotive industry, the primary goal is to design a vehicle that is both safe and durable. This design goal provides the best in value for customers and helps to build the manufacturers reputation for quality and dependability.
Historically, the durability of a vehicle is assessed in several different ways. The simplest form of testing is to merely drive the vehicle through its normal usage. If a vehicle is driven for 100,000 miles or 6 years, one will very accurately be able to assess its reliability over 100,000 miles. This test driving method, while obviously being the most accurate is not the most efficient. As a consequence, test tracks have been created to simulate these road conditions. A typical proving ground test track will be made up of several types of road surfaces that the vehicle will see in the course of its product life. These surfaces are able to condense the amount of time it takes to expose a vehicle to an equivalent amount of fatigue exposure as it would be exposed to over a period such as 10 years. For example a test track can be designed to have a 40 to 1 ratio where one mile on the track is comparable to 40 miles in real world conditions. This is an effective test method but can only be conducted very late in the design process when an assembled prototype is available. It requires drivers and a large investment in time and labor. Also, road surfaces can be custom tailored to specific vehicles or regions but this process can be time consuming and expensive.
